Berlin Hospitals Face War Crisis: Staff Shortages and Infrastructure Concerns
Berlin's hospitals face significant challenges, with a nationwide shortage of nursing professionals and concerns about their ability to handle a large influx of injured soldiers in case of war. The city's chief physician at Humboldt Clinic, Andreas Umgelter, has criticized the current plan for not addressing the expansion of infrastructure for severely injured people on a large scale.
In February 2024, Umgelter warned that hospitals were already operating in an unsafe area due to stress limits being exceeded. The situation has been exacerbated by the Berlin Senate's supplementary budget for 2025, which includes a cut of 29 million euros for hospital investments. Meanwhile, the nationwide hospital reform is stagnating, with an adaptation law extending transition periods again.
In a war scenario, Berlin's clinics might have to take in up to 100 injured soldiers per day. The 'Framework Plan for Civil Defense in the Area of Berlin's Hospitals', created by the Senate Department of Health, the German Armed Forces, and other stakeholders, was presented to Berlin hospitals in July 2023. However, it has raised more questions than answers about infrastructure expansion for severely injured people. Around 115,000 nursing professionals were missing nationwide at the beginning of 2024, and the German Armed Forces estimate that up to 1,000 injured soldiers per day might need to be cared for by German hospitals in case of war.
The current state of Berlin's hospitals, coupled with the potential influx of injured soldiers in a war scenario, highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive plan to expand infrastructure and address staffing shortages. The involvement of various national and international institutions, such as ministries, notfall- und katastrophenschutzbehörden, the Red Cross, WHO, military health services, and international help organizations, will be crucial in ensuring adequate medical care in such a situation.
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